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Maruti Suzuki to Launch e-Vitara as Charging Shortfalls Persist

High per-unit charging costs have made public stations economically unviable, reinforcing range anxiety among potential EV buyers.

Overview

  • Maruti Suzuki is set to launch its first electric model, the e-Vitara, in the current fiscal year.
  • The company plans to roll out public charging infrastructure in 100 cities but acknowledges highways remain largely unserved.
  • Charging at public stations costs Rs 20–21 per unit, more than double home rates of Rs 7–10, making station investment unviable.
  • Partho Banerjee describes a catch-22 where low station density deters EV buyers from making them their primary vehicles.
  • Electric passenger vehicle sales rose 93 percent year-on-year in July to 15,528 units, lifting EVs’ market share to 4.5 percent of passenger vehicle sales.